Wood binder



Oct. 9 1923.

A. P. LLOYD WOOD BINDER Filed Feb. 21 1923 Patented Oct. 9, 1923.V

msm' r. LLOYD, or ELKHART, INDIANA.

WOOD BINDER.

Application filed February 21, 1923. Serial No. 620,535.

a log or timber, will result in cracking 01" checking. This isparticularly true of railroad ties, which, in a very short time afterbeing cut and pre ared for use, will check or split at the end, such asplit eventually extending into the tie to such an extent as to make itunsafe and often useless long before the tie' is rotted or decayed inthe usual manner. Various devices have been tried with the idea ofdrawing the ends of ties, as well as other timbers, together eitherbefore or after a crack has occurred. Nearly al1 of these have atendency to augment the crack or split, either in the manner ofapplication or in their construction. Such a device, to be successfulmust be simple in construction as well as in application, must becomparativel inexpensive to make and should be app icable without dangerof splitting the wood.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown several embodiments of theinvention. In this showing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a railroad tie showing theeinventionapplied2 Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal 40 sectional view,

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the binder removed,

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a. front elevation of another form of the invention, and,

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 5. Referringto the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates a railroad tie orsimilar timber. The binder forming the subject matter of the presentinvention consists of a bar 2 of steel or iron, which is substantiallywedge shaped in transverse cross-section, as shown in Figure 2 of theserted. Each of the split members will have a cross-section of a halfwedge, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6of the drawings, abar 4 is employed of suitable shapeto provide end members 5 of wedgeshaped cross-section, as shown in Figure 6.

The binder is log, with the wedge point next to the surface, 'and drivenin until the point of the wedge has penetrated the wood and the top orback of the binder is llush with the surface thereof. This may beaccomplished with a sledge or hammer, requiring no skill and noapparatus, and when the binder is so applied it will rmly hold the breof the 10g or tie together so that fit will not split in the usualmanner, and the life of the timber, log or tie will be greatly extended.The exposure to moisture in the wood or from the outside has a tendencyto oxidize the steel or iron, thus holding it more firmly in place.

I do not limit my invention to any particular size'or relativedimensions, so long as the general shape is preserved of a bar having awedge' shaped cross section with two rearwardly curved members on eachend, nor do I` limit its use to the preservation of wood from cracking,but it may be used to hold together two on more logs or timbers instructural work.

What I claim as my invention is:

. 1. A wood binder comprising a bar having a substantially wedge shapedcross, section, having two rearwardly curved and structurally integralmembers Aon each end, each of said members having a substantially wedgeshaped cross section.

2. A wood binder comprising a long and relatively narrow body having asubstantially wedge shaped cross section; two structurally integralmembers on each end of said laid on the end of a tie orI i@ Lamme body,each of said members also having a tion, the end of said bar beingprovided vwedge shaped cross section of substantially with tworearwardly curved and structuthe same nature as the cross section ofsaid rally integral members, each of said mem- 10 body, and each of saidmembers being curved bers having a substantially wedge-shaped 5outwardly and rearwardly from said bar. cross section.

3. A wood binder comprising a bar having a substantially wedge shapedcross sec- AMSEY P. LLOYD.

